Richneck boy, 6, who shot teacher threatened to burn and kill another years earlier
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The 6-year-old who shot a teacher at the Virginia school ‘previously threatened to burn and kill another teacher, barricaded doors and threw furniture, but the elementary school dismissed the complaints.
- The unidentified boy shot teacher Abigail Zwerner on January 6 in the classroom.
- Other teachers complained to Richneck Elementary that it was violent.
- He sent one a note saying he hated her and wanted to see her ‘burn and die’.
The six-year-old boy who shot his elementary school teacher in Virginia previously threatened to burn and kill another teacher, threw furniture around the classroom and even blocked a door, but school officials dismissed staff complaints.
the washington post He cites messages between teachers and staff at Richneck Elementary School in Newport News detailing how teachers, including Abigail Zwerner, the teacher who was shot, had complained about the boy.
On January 6, the boy brought a gun into the classroom and shot Zwerner in the stomach. She survived, but spent three weeks recovering in the hospital.
The unidentified boy shot teacher Abigail Zwerner (pictured) on Jan. 6 in a classroom. She was finally released from the hospital this week after three weeks.
Richneck Elementary School Principal Briana Newton has not commented publicly on the incident.
School officials had been told that day that he had a weapon, but he was allowed to attend class after searching his backpack and not finding it.
Neither the boy nor his family have been identified. They claimed in a statement issued to the press through a lawyer that he is “acutely disabled,” meaning he requires a parent to accompany him in the classroom.
On the day in question, he was allowed to attend school alone, carrying with him a 9mm pistol that his family legally owns.
Immediately after the shooting, other teachers criticized the school online, saying Zwerner “asked for help” “many times” “throughout the year.”
Another teacher also went to the school to report having received a note from the girl, saying that she ‘hated’ her and wanted to set her on fire to ‘watch her die’.
On another occasion, other children were forced to hide under their desks when the boy began throwing furniture around the room.
Newport News Police Chief Steve Drew, right, and Newport News Superintendent George Parker answer questions about how a teacher was shot. No charges have yet been filed, but the investigation is ongoing.
Students and police gather outside Richneck Elementary School after a shooting, Friday, January 6.
Parents are outraged that school authorities ignored teachers’ concerns. Above, the day of the shooting.
A third incident involved him blocking the classroom door to prevent staff or students from leaving or entering.
Teachers have also told how overburdened resources at the school meant the child wasn’t getting the special attention he needed. On a few occasions, he was found wandering the halls alone.
In their statement, the boy’s family said he had undergone a care plan that typically meant one parent was with him every day.
That plan ended a week before the shooting.
“We will mourn our absence on this day for the rest of our lives,” they said.
The damning reports come after it was revealed that the school even received a tip that he had a gun with him on the day in question, and that they searched his backpack but found nothing and let him go about his day.
School officials have refused to share any further details about the shocking incident, citing privacy laws that they say prevent them from discussing the child’s history.
Zwerner was released from the hospital earlier this week.
Police continue to investigate the incident. No one has been charged yet.